Just thought some of you might enjoy this, I know it's tough to read, but it always gives me a kick to see how the ininitiated react to the way we lived.
_donnie (4:39:19 PM): Growing up I was taught these people were "apostates" and pretty much were demons, crazy shit, I used to have nightmares and crap, it's crazy. They teach you that the world is gonna end any day, all the people you see that aren't Witnesses are dead meat.
donnie (4:39:51 PM): The thing that got me though, was they always said people that just didn;t know would be fine...so my question was...why did you tell me?
donnie (4:40:17 PM): They are the kings of circular logic
ty_ (4:40:22 PM): nice...selling fear and hope
donnie (4:40:45 PM): Yep, and it's a huge freakin business. Holdings in the billions
ty_ (4:40:54 PM): and all for the bargain basement price of 10%
ty_ (4:41:23 PM): and when Uncle Sam isn't getting his 10-40%, it makes it that much better
_donnie (4:41:26 PM): For them, it takes everything you have. Quit your job, wash windows or clean carpets for a lviing
_donnie (4:41:43 PM): Retirement and college are dirty words
ty_ (4:41:53 PM): who pays the mortgage?
donnie (4:42:02 PM): Lot of fucking windows
ty_c (4:42:20 PM): so you can keep enough to pay bills but that's it?
donnie (4:42:42 PM): Yep that's why money has always been so hard for me to manage
ty_ (4:43:18 PM): so is the family of 4 with a $500,000 house treated any differently then the family of 4 with a $200,000 house?
donnie (4:44:09 PM): Oh yea, actually both of those would be considered materialistic and not putting "The Kingdom" first, they should work 1/4 or 1/2 as much and preach more
_donnie (4:44:42 PM): Just going to "church" takes 6 hours per week plus 2 hours to prepare
ty (4:44:45 PM): so who draws the "materialism" line?
ty_ (4:45:03 PM): or who gets to draw it?
donnie (4:45:53 PM): The "Elders" would let you know, but strangely, the "elders" usually end up being the worst, plus of course if brother Rich is kicking enough in...he gets a pass
ty_ (4:46:22 PM): aren't the Elders from that TV show Charmed with Alyssa Milano?
ty_(4:46:50 PM): yep, they are...Michelle's a big fan of that show
ty_ (4:47:15 PM): they're the witches governing body
_donnie (4:47:25 PM): Seriously we could go for hours...you can drink, but not get drunk, no supersitions, but Demons control the world, you can;t hardly read anything without a highlighter in your hand, clean windows or carpets and own 5 suits
ty_ (4:47:53 PM): is drunk .08?
ty_ (4:48:12 PM): sounds pretty vague
donnie (4:48:51 PM): Sex is off limits unless you're married, oh but then oral or anal is out, drunk is if someone else thinks you are, if you were molested and two people didn't see it, it didn't happen, if your spouse is screin around, you catch them, but your the only one to see and they deny it, you cant get married again
donnie (4:49:08 PM): screwin
donnie (4:49:30 PM): 2 door cars are out, smurfs are demons
ty(4:49:37 PM): nice....
donnie (4:49:56 PM): no movies rated R or worse
donnie (4:50:02 PM): no holidays
_donnie (4:50:06 PM): no birthdays
ty_ (4:50:13 PM): unless nobody sees you watching them
ty_(4:50:18 PM): I knew about the holiday thing
_donnie (4:50:22 PM): somebody always sees you.
donnie (4:50:44 PM): Like little freakin G men or something, Then they take you in the back room and give you what for
ty_ (4:51:16 PM): sounds like a few determined people could cause a whole lot of havoc
ty_ (4:51:33 PM): you and two friends go around "seeing" things
ty_ (4:51:56 PM): and all of a sudden, you've skipped to level 7 and the challenge stage
_donnie (4:52:01 PM): And announce you are a bad assiciation to the whole group, or DF you in which case no one will speak to you, but as a Witness you can't really talk to regular people except for strictly work based conversation, so you have no support system, usually makes people come right back because they can;t take the isolation
ty_ (4:52:20 PM): unbelievable
ty_ (4:52:39 PM): I guess the last thing they want you to believe in is "YOU"
donnie (4:52:41 PM): My ex's parents own a dinette set, they are in their high 60's
donnie (4:52:53 PM): that's all they own
donnie (4:54:10 PM): INdependent thinking is highly discouraged and will get you ousted faster than anything else.
ty_c (4:54:31 PM): I'm sure
donnie (4:54:57 PM): All it takes is for you to make it known to anyone that you disagree or question anything the wrong way, as if it needed proving
ty_ (4:55:22 PM): got to keep control of the masses somehow_donnie (4:55:41 PM): Yep. OK, I gotta get back to work before I go to hell.
ty_ (4:55:46 PM): later